Wire fabric seam and method of making same



Nov. 22, 1938. w. J. TAYLOR 2,137,789

WIRE FABRIC SEAM AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME Filed Aug. 26, 1937 INVENTOF! ATTORNEY$ Patented Nov. 22, 1938 PATENT OFFICE WIREFABRIC SEAM AND METHOD OF BIAK- ING SAME William J. Taylor, Nutley, N. J.

. Application August 26, 1937, Serial No. 161,124

Claims.

This invention relates to an improved method of joining together pieces of woven metallic wire and more particularly to improved methods of joining wire fabrics to be used as endless webs in paper making machines of the Fourdrinier type.

Heretofore, in the seaming or joining together of pieces of metallic fabric for use in the so-called Fourdrinier paper making machine wherein pulp is caught on an endless web and formed into paper, it has been difficult to produce a seam having the proper qualities of wear, strength, and porosity. It is believed that these deficiencies of the seams produced according to processes heretofore known are due at least in part to improper alignment of the fabric elements at the place where the seam. is made. For example, in the process according to the Webb patent, #2,030,616 issued Feb. 11, 1936, the ends of the warp Wires are cut at a place at least not beyond the face of a weft wire, the seam being made by removing the outermost weft wire, replacing it by a soldercovered wire and joining the ends of thefabric so prepared by soldering the abutting wire edges. Notable among the disadvantages of this process is the difficulty of properly aligning the wire elements. Inasmuch as the usual wire fabric is of an 80 mesh, the elements are approximately .0065 of an inch in diameter, and accordingly it is diiiicult to properly align the warp wires particularly when their ends are cut as short as in the process according to the patent aforesaid. Another difficulty encountered in following the teachings of the Webb patent is the tendency of the fabric I elements to alter'their relative position due to expansion and contraction during the soldering operation wherein the temperature often reaches as high as 1300 F. Improper alignment of the wire ends or movement of their relative position results in so-called high or low spots in the fabric due to buckling of the elements and accordingly the fabric is worn down first at the point where the buckling takes place thereby substantially decreasing the useful life of the seamed fabric because of crackingor breaking at the place of scam. It is an object of the present invention to provide a process of seaming a wire fabric whereby the tendency of the fabric elements to warp or buckle is substantially minimized and whereby v the elements can be more easily aligned than was possible in processes heretoforev known.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a means for seaming metallic fabrics of the type used as endless webs in paper making machines whereby the seam produced is not materially or substantially different from the remainder of the fabric, that is to say, the seam produced in accordance with the present invention does not substantially affect the porosity of the web noralter its strength, flexibility nor wearing qualities.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide means whereby wire fabrics of the type indicated can be seamed or joined together by means both economical from the standpoint of labor and of material. The process according to the present invention does not necessitate the use of skilled labor nor complicated machinery to effect a seam in the fabric. The portion of the fabric wherein the seam lies is of substantially the same strength as the remainder of the web.

The invention will be fully and comprehensively understood froma consideration of the following detailed description when read in connection with the accompanying drawing which forms part of the application.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1- is a top plan view illustrating two pieces of wire fabric joined together in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional detail view of Fig. 1 taken along the line 2- -2.

Figs. 3, 4:, and 5 are side views, partially in section, illustrating certain features of the present invention.

Fig. 6 is a top plan view showing sections of two pieces of wire fabric joined in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional detail View of Fig. 6, taken along the line '|--1; and

Fig. 8 is a side view of a portion of wire fabric illustrating the parts removed during the seaming process according to the present invention.

Figs. ti -5, inclusive, and Fig. 8 illustrate the preferred embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 1 illustrates the general appearance of portions of two pieces of metallic fabric, generally designated at A and B, joined together by the members C. This embodiment of the present invention is characterized by the overlapping relationship existing between the warp wires, one of which is designated at E0, and the uniting means, designated generally at I I. In this type of union the warp ends are alternately disposed above and below the uniting means, that is to say, the warp element it is disposed below the uniting means whereas the warp element Illa is disposed above same. The elements of each piece of fabric to be united are disposed relative to the uniting means in the same manner.

Referring to Fig. 8, the warp elements of the ends of the fabric to be joined, generally designated at A and B, are cut substantially as shown along the line C, and the weft elements l5, I6, H, and I8 are removed. Referring now to Fig. 3, two of the warp elements indicated at 20 and 2| are shown in the position assumed after removal of the weft members as aforesaid. The resiliency in the warp elements is such that they assume the extended position shown. Referring now to Fig. 4, a solder-covered wire 23 has been pushed between the expanded warp elements 20 and 2| so that it assumes a position corresponding to the position formerly occupied by one of the weft elements, substantially as shown, being held in position by the relatively hard and renitent steel wire 24. When the members have been so arranged the end of the fabric is rolled so that the hard steel wire formsa recess in the warp members as indicated at 25. The warp wires of the assembled structure are then out along a plane perpendicular to the plane of the fabric and passing along the far side of the wire 24 so that the portions of the warp elements 20 and 21, shown in dotted form in Fig. 4, are removed. The elements 20 and 2| are bent at the ends by the pressure of the cutting knife, substantially as shown, so that when the steel wire 24 is removed, the elements are positioned and formed as indicated in Fig. 5. The ends of the fabric to be joined are prepared as hereinbefore described and then positioned relative to each other so that the ends of the warp elements overlap he solder-covered wires, substantially as shown in Figs. 1- and 2, the general appearance of the positioned members being substantially that shown in Fig. 1. The solder-covered elements with the warp elements positioned adjacent thereto, are then heated so that the solder disposes itself as shown in Fig. 2, uniting the members 23 with the warp elements thereby providing a firm, resilient and substantial union.

In the embodiment of the present invention illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7, one piece of the metallic fabric to be joined, generally indicated at A, is prepared as hereinbefore described, and the other piece, generally indicated at B, is prepared in substantially the same manner except that in v prepared as last described, overlap only one of the solder-covered connecting members, generally designated at D, instead of overlapping both as was the case in the other embodiment of the present invention hereinabove described. The other steps in the operation of joining the fabric pieces are substantially the same as described in connection with the other embodiment of the present invention and the general appearance of the united fabric ends is substantially as shown in Figs. 6 and 7.

Although in the embodiment of the present invention hereinbefore described, reference has been made to weft and warp elements, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that these terms are merely used as a matter of convenience in description and that in the application of the present invention, they can be used interchangeably.

It is to be understood that this improvement is capable of extended application and is not confined to the exact showing of the drawing nor to the precise construction described, and, therefore, such changes and modifications may be made therein as do not affect the spirit of the invention nor exceed the scope thereof as expressed in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Method of joining ends of wire fabric comprising cutting the warp wires of the ends to be joined along the far face of a weft wire, removing first the terminal weft wire and second the weft wire next thereto, placing a solder-covered wire between the'extended warp wire ends in substantially the position formerly occupied by the weft wire last removed, placing a hard renitent wire parallel said solder-covered wire and between the extended warp wire ends, cutting the extended warp ends at a place adjoining the far face of the renitent wire, removing said wire, positioning the fabric ends to be joined adjacent each other in a manner whereby the warp elements are in alignment and the projecting ends of the warp wires overlap more than one soldercovered wire, heating the fabric ends whereby the solder is caused to flow over the surfaces abutting the solder-covered wire and cooling the assembly whereby the solder is caused to solidify and the members to be united.

2. Method of joining ends of wire fabric comprising cutting the warp wires of at least one end of the fabric to be joined along the far face of a weft wire, removing first the terminal weft wire and second the weft wire next thereto whereby the ends of the warp wires are left in extended projecting position, placing a soldercovered wire between the extended warp wires in substantially the position formerly occupied by the weft wire last removed, placing a hard renitent relatively immalleable wire parallel said solder-covered wire and between the extended warp wire ends, cutting the extended warp wire ends at a place adjoining the far face of the relatively immaleamle wire, removing said wire, positioning the fabric ends to be joined adjacent each other in a manner whereby the warp elements are in alignment and the projecting ends of the warp wires of at least one of the ends to be joined overlap more than one solder-covered wire heating the fabric ends whereby the solder is caused to flow over the surfaces abutting the solder-covered wire and cooling the assembly whereby the solder is caused to solidify and the members to be united.

3. Method of joining ends of wire fabric comprising cutting the warp wires of at least one end of the fabric to be joined along the far face of a weft wire, removing first the terminal weft wire and second the weft wire next thereto whereby the ends of the warp wires are left in extended projecting position, placing a soldercovered wire between the extended warp wires in substantially the position formerly occupied by the weft wire last removed, placing a hard renitent relatively immalleable wire parallel said solder-covered wire and between the extended warp wire ends, rolling the fabric end so prepared, cutting the extended warp wire ends at a place adjoining the far face of the relatively immaleable wire, removing said wire, positioning the fabric ends to be joined adjacent each other in a manner whereby the warp elements are in alignment and the projecting ends of the warp wires of at least one of the ends to be joined overlap more than one solder-covered wire, heating the fabric ends whereby the solder is caused to flow over the surfaces abutting the solder covered wire and cooling the assembly whereby the solder is caused to solidify and the members to be united.

4. A seam joining wire fabric ends, each of said fabric ends having a terminal weft wire, the terminal weft wires of the joined fabric ends being positioned adjoining each other in substantially parallel relationship, the out free ends of the warp wires of at least one of the pieces of joined fabric extending beyond the axis of and overlying the terminal weft wire of another piece of fabric joined thereto, said terminal weft wires and said warp wire ends being united to hold same in relatively fixed relationship.

5. A seam joining wire fabric ends, each of said fabric ends having a terminal weft wire, the terminal weft wires of the joined fabric ends being positioned adjoining each other in substantially parallel relationship, the cut free ends of the warp wires of each of said pieces of joined fabric extending beyond the axis of and overlying the terminal weft wire of the piece of fabric joined thereto, said terminal weft wires and said warp wire ends being united to hold same in relatively. fixed relationship.

WILLIAM J. TAYLOR. 

